Fairy influence

Today Grace ran to me in our backyard saying Madeline just peed her pants. After I scolded her, got her out of her playhouse and changed her, I asked her why she thought she could do that. She told me that Tinkerbell told her she could. Of course, I laughed and asked what else Tinkerbell told her to do. She said she plays freeze tag and hide-and-seek with her.

GO MOM!

All summer, the second I would stop at a red light, Madeline would shout, "GO MOM!" Each day I would tell her that I have to wait until the red light turns green or the car in front of me goes before I can...but each day she would still tell me to go. It even became such a habit that she would shout "GO MOM" when Sam was driving the family.

We finally reached a breakthrough this month, and now when I'm at a red light she says, "GO MOM", then immediately tells herself out loud, "Well, red...stop. Green...go. Yellow...slow down." It's hilarious in her tiny 2-year old voice.

Star names

Sam was using his phone to point out the planets and stars to Grace that we could see from our house. Pointing directly overhead he said "...and there's Vega."

Grace said, "Vega??? Where's Mexican?" Sam and I just looked at each other and suppressed a laugh. We have no idea what she was thinking.

Boo at the Zoo

We were happy the zoo offered daytime hours this year, so we were able to go. The girls did every game and craft offered. Madeline immediately raised her hand to volunteer to hold the boa, and fortunately for me, she was not chosen. They loved getting close to an owl and penguin.

The glazed stare, and cue to head home with their buckets full of toys and candy.

Pumpkin express

Last year the pumpkin express was muddy and very cold. Tiny Charlotte stayed strapped to my chest with her head covered. This year was warm and she wanted down to run and play. Grace was dripping with sweat when she came out of the hay maze. Besides the train, their favorite again was the teeter-tooter.

Nightime milk with Tucker

I was sound asleep one night this week when I heard a little cough. I raised my head and saw it was 2:00am and whispered, "Madeline?" She loudly whispered back, "Hi Mommy!" I sat up and strained to see where she was. "Where are you?" "I yay (lay) here wif (with) my Cucker (Tucker)." I got up and went to the foot of our bed where Tucker sleeps, and Madeline was there laying with her head on his stomach drinking her milk.

This is a morning and evening ritual (more like obsession) of hers, but I've never seen her try it in the middle of the night. We typically fill her sippy cup before bed so it's ready quickly in the morning, and she had apparently helped herself to the fridge. I took the almost empty cup from her and put her back to bed...I have no idea how long she laid there before I woke up.

Dollies with Gigi

(drawn by Grace, Madeline, and Charlotte)

Big Tex

It was our first trip to the State Fair, since we're generally not fair fans. I am, however, a corn dog fan, and Fletcher's corny dogs lived up to my expectations. Madeline thought throwing a fit in her stroller was a better idea than a family picture with Big Tex.

Dino dig

I made some dinosaur bones out of leftover homemade clay for the girls to "find" in their sandbox. I would have done this a long time ago if I had any idea how much they would enjoy it!

Golf

Grace started golf lessons this morning. She was a little nervous at first when she rode off in the cart and began her lesson, but it didn't take long before she relaxed and was all smiles. She took her nap with her putter and when she woke up, she ran for the backyard asking for a tee.
Madeline practiced her game while we waited, but did run after a man's ball as he was putting...